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"Both Byron Beasley, my senior assistant district attorney, and I reviewed the investigation," Woodall said in a June 7 email. "In addition our office investigator, Laurin Smith, reviewed the file and interviewed [a witness ... who] indicated she did not want the matter pursued."

The witness didn't name Sykes when she reported following a black Ford pickup driven by someone who had pulled up signs in April to the dead-end road, Sykes Drive. Sykes was put on administrative leave while the county's lead investigator looked into the claim, in consultation with the N.C. Bureau of Investigation.

The allegation was the culmination of a heated Democratic primary race between the incumbent Sheriff Charles Blackwood and his opponent Tony White. Blackwood, who won the primary and has no Republican opponent this fall, said he never thought Sykes had anything to do with sign tampering.

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"But I also knew that if I didn't take this action, it would come back to bite me in the butt that I had protected him and not done a thorough investigation to make certain that he had nothing to do with it," Blackwood said.

Sykes said last week he is ready to get back to work serving Orange County residents and enforcing the law.

"Although I was shocked to learn that insinuations were made about my role in this matter, I was fully cooperative in both the criminal and internal affairs investigations," Sykes said. "At all times, I was confident in the process and am pleased that the allegations were found to be baseless and without merit."